This regional diet may increase stroke risk, study shows

Though southern cuisine is not exactly known for its nutritional value, the general public may not be aware of just have destructive this diet can be. Many have have gone as a far as to associate it with growing obesity rates among Southern states, noting that Texas has long been home to some of the nation’s most overweight cities. However, a new study has revealed that this traditionally deep-fried cuisine may be responsible for another alarming trend: increased stroke risk.

Last week, ABC News covered the research, which was presented at the International Stroke Conference held in Hawaii. According to the source, scientists from the University of Alabama have unearthed a link between the southern diet and stroke prevalence.

“Diet is an understudied risk factor for stroke, said Suzanne Judd, PhD, the lead author of the study. Though obesity has long been considered to increase the likelihood of a stroke, this project is one of the first to concentrate on the role that region-specific cuisine may play. And, unfortunately, the results are grim.

The news source states that regularly consuming traditionally southern foods could increase an individual’s chances of having a stroke by up to 41 percent. The risk proved even greater for African-Americans, rising to 63 percent.

That isn’t to say that all aspects of the southern diet are unhealthy, however. Researchers noted that the primary cause for this correlation seemed to be balance. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables, like collard greens, and cutting down on saturated-fat-laden fried foods, could potentially go a long way toward reducing this risk.